Page 7 of Married Into Love

“We haven’t been eye-fucking each other!” Iprotested.

“Maybe you haven’t, but I sure as hell have eye-banged the fuck out of you tonight.” Alec’s gaze dropped to my boobs, lingering there for a moment before traveling further down to my thighs which were only partially covered by the bottom of the dress my sister had talked me into wearing. “Not that any guy in this place would blame me since you’re unbelievablygorgeous.”

I crossed my legs, and he groaned. “Stop,” I protestedweakly.

His blue eyes blazed into mine. “Never.”

“On that note, I think we should hit another club. The walk will help cool both of you off a little,” Ariana suggested. “The place where I work is only about six blocks down the Strip. I need to check in to see if I was able to pick up an extra shift tomorrow anyway, so why don’t we headthere?”

“Do you want to go to your sister’s club?” Alecasked.

“It’s not her club the way your brother’s is his,” Icorrected.

“You know what I mean, beautiful. The game plan is your call. I’m up for whatever you wanttodo.”

“You heard the man. You want to stay or go?” She widened her eyes and looked towards the door in a gesture that made it obvious which option she wanted me tochoose.

“Go,” Isighed.

Alec slid off his stool and motioned to the bartender, who brought over his credit card and our bill. He barely glanced at the total. He just added a whopper of a tip, signed his name, and then helped me down. It was a good thing he did, or else I would have fallen over since my legs felt like jelly from sitting for so long. Or at least that’s what I told myself as we made our way out of the club. I felt light-headed, but the fresh air didn’thelpmuch.

Alec kept his arm wrapped around my waist as the three of us walked down the sidewalk. My crazy sister, who knew darn well that I was already drunk, stopped at the frozen daiquiri window at the bar next door and ordered three of the yard-long drinks in differentflavors.

“Ariana,” Imuttered.

“What?” She shrugged her shoulders and tried to look innocent. “It’s hot out and a frozen drink sounded perfect forourwalk.”

While Alec paid, she shoved a strawberry daiquiri into my hand and claimed the peach one forherself.

“I guess it’s a good thing I like lime,” Alec chuckled. He shoved his wallet back into his pocket, picked up his drink, and reached out his free hand tograbmine.

Our walk should have only taken ten minutes, tops, but Ariana found a reason for us to stop every block or so along the way. Once it was because there was a woman walking around with a basket of roses, and she convinced Alec that I needed a flower. Not that it took much to talk him into it, and one quickly turned into the whole basket. The next time we stopped, it was because our daiquiris were finished and she insisted that we needed to try the margaritas from the place we’d just passed. So we’d doubled back and went inside to order three of them to go. By the time we were a few doors down from the club where she worked, I was beyond drunk. Alec was helping me walk, but he was starting to get a little unsteady on hisfeettoo.

“Hey! I’ve got a great idea,” Ariana cried, pointing at the pink and white building across the street. “Didn’t you say you’re in town for a friend’s wedding? We should stop over there and see if one of their Elvis’s is available to do the vows for them! Wouldn’t that behilarious?”

“What? No!” I yanked on her arm to try to stop her from darting across the street. It didn’t do me any good, and Alec and I followed after her. “Ariana, didn’t you hear what Alec said earlier? His teammate’s family owns the hotel where they’re getting married. They’re not the kind of people who want Elvis to officiate thewedding.”

“I don’t know.” Alec flung his arm over my shoulder. “Jason and Cee-Cee managed to worm their way out of a real bachelor and bachelorette party. It would serve them right if I hired an Elvis to crash their wedding. Or maybe just to show up for the reception afterwards so Jason’s mom doesn’t try to kick my ass. That womanscaresme.”

“You really want todothis?”

“Yup.”

We stumbled inside the chapel to arrange for a practical joke on his friends for their reception. Things got fuzzy after that, including how I ended up in his bed with his ring on myfinger.

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